


take me home (to you)

by hailynx



Series: Spheres [3]
Category: Mamamoo
Genre: 5 Times, 5+1 Things, Al Bhed, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Final Fantasy X, Amnesia, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Relationships, Childhood, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Death Rituals, F/F, F/M, Footnotes, Friends to Lovers, Game Spoilers, Guilt, Human Sacrifice, Implied Relationships, Internalized Homophobia, Jealousy, Languages, Memory Loss, Mutual Pining, Non-Chronological, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Rituals, Sacrifice, Self-Sacrifice, Suicide Attempt, Survivor Guilt, Translation Available, Trauma, Unrequited Love, guilt tripping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-07-24 19:02:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7519628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hailynx/pseuds/hailynx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Byulyi fights for Wheein and the one time she doesn't have to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	take me home (to you)

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own MAMAMOO.  
> Please do not translate or repost/reupload.

**1.**

 

Byulyi is eight when she commits her first _sin_. It’s a strange taste of something Byulyi has feared all her life but it also happens to be a memory that Byulyi allows to haunt her every night because she doesn’t know how to regret it.

 

Byulyi is eight and childish, easily forgetting how antsy Yongsun can be when they’re doing things out of line. It’s not exactly a fear of breaking the rules but Yongsun likes the stability, so when the Hyejin and Wheein gather around and tells Byulyi about a little thing they have planned to break Yongsun out of her shell, it didn’t sound the least harmful.

 

“Okay, unni?” Wheein encourages as she flashes Byulyi a wide smile. Some of her teeth are missing but it’s still a smile bright as the sun. “You have to get her out there okay?”

 

“Okay,” Byulyi agrees because she’s young and maybe a little bit overwhelmed by Wheein.

 

It’s a short-sighted decision really. Yongsun is scared of the water and Byulyi should know better but she’s eight and it’s difficult to be rational when all Wheein wants to do is show Yongsun the world of Blitz.

 

 

 

 

 

Later that night, Byulyi sneaks into Yongsun’s room and wakes her from her sleep. Yongsun shuffles about grumpily but eventually gets up whispering _Byulyi, are you still afraid to go to the bathroom by yourself?_ and Byulyi just leaves it at that because it’ll get Yongsun outside. It’s not until they’ve ventured far from the village and Yongsun is awake that she registers what’s going on.

 

“What are we doing,” Yongsun complains, “It’s late Byulyi! We’re all supposed to be asleep!”

 

“Shh,” Byulyi hisses back, dragging Yongsun along, “You’ll wake the adults…”

 

Yongsun’s complaints continue but that doesn’t stop Byulyi from pulling her along. Wheein and Hyejin are waiting and if Byulyi doesn’t get there they’d be waiting the whole night. When they get to the water, Yongsun pouts and gives Byulyi a glare for her betrayal. It’s not a look that last because Wheein latches onto Yongsun and pulls her towards the lake. When Yongsun sets her eyes on the sight of the glowing water created by moonlight, she’s mesmerised.

 

“It’s pretty isn’t it?” Wheein exclaims as she nudges Yongsun, “Look!”

 

Yongsun is so awed by the image, she allows Wheein to coax her into dipping her feet into the water at the lake. Hyejin brings the Blitzball they’ve nicked from the team and Byulyi tosses it into the air. They stay on shore, but when Wheein attempts to score, she kicks the ball far off towards the beach and the pier. Awed and excited, Yongsun chases after the ball and Wheein follows, way before Byulyi can stop them because it’s a bad idea. From the distance, Byulyi can see that the waters are angry and she fears it.

 

“Hyejin!” Byulyi yells, pushing Hyejin back to land, “Go get help!”

 

Byulyi doesn’t watch as Hyejin dashes back to the village and instead, rushes towards the waters. Byulyi’s not normally afraid of water like Yongsun because on Bikanel, water was always a luxury but she’s scared of dark and murky waters—the one that could be hiding the real Sin. Rushing in blindly, Byulyi manages to grab hold of the wooden pier along with Wheein’s hand. Grappling against the incoming tide, she pulls Wheein closer to her body, has Wheein cling to the wooden pillar before reaching out to try grab a struggling Yongsun.

 

Luckily, Byulyi manages to clasp onto Yongsun’s fingertips but just barely. Byulyi is in the middle of trying to pull Yongsun towards her when she hears Sin roar. The sound sends shivers down her spine and her grip slips. Byulyi tries hard to hold on but the current is strong and she’s slowly losing Wheein. Byulyi grits her teeth together and attempts to tighten her hold on the both of them but Sin doesn’t stop roaring and the waters refuse to calm. Everything starts to strain so badly, Byulyi feels like her limbs will fall off.

 

In between it all, Wheein wails for help, so Byulyi does the only thing she knows and lets go.

 

 

 

 

 

**2.**

 

Guadosalam is the only place Byulyi wants to skip over. She knows that they can just forgo it but Wheein won’t allow it to happen. They’ve both been hearing the same things so Byulyi knows that she can’t stop Wheein from visiting the Farplane so that she can see Yongsun. Despite knowing that it’s impossible, Byulyi tries distracting Wheein anyway.

 

“Let’s continue tomorrow,” Wheein replies halfway through Byulyi’s explanation. “I’m tired.”

 

Byulyi smiles weakly in response to Wheein’s unspoken rejection, “Off to bed then?”

 

“Yeah,” Wheein nods hesitantly. “Goodnight.”

 

Byulyi is tempted to let it slide because Wheein looks conflicted enough as it is but the childish part of her that’s still alive and well cannot let it go. Instead of letting Wheein go off on her own, Byulyi chases because she knows how easily Wheein’s emotions can hit a wreck. It’s no surprise that her instincts are correct. When Byulyi finally catches up, Wheein is standing contemplatively outside the Farplane, standing in turmoil because she doesn’t know whether or not it’s the right thing to do, to herself, for herself.

 

“Don’t go there,” Byulyi intends to demand—to assert her authority even—but it comes out soft and desperate and before she realises it, she’s begging Wheein to stay. “Wheein-ah…”

 

It’s fear more than anything else and Byulyi couldn’t care less if Wheein caught on, even though Byulyi knows that Wheein will use her weakness as she sees fit.

 

“Why not?” Wheein asks, almost innocently.

 

Byulyi knows that she’s being tested but it doesn’t stop her from feeling frustrated. Wheein _knows_ why and she’s purposefully forcing Byulyi to say it. Waiting patiently for Byulyi to take the bait, Wheein is kind enough to give Byulyi a sugar coated smile. Wheein looks up at Byulyi slowly, in the same way she would do as a child, in the same awe-stricken manner that she had taken to Byulyi—the way that she had treated Byulyi like she was a deity because she was older and knew a world outside of Besaid Island.

 

“She’s _dead_ ,” Byulyi states and winces at her own words—she’s never said it aloud before and surprisingly it doesn’t make it any lighter, “She’s dead, Wheein. What you see in there—”

 

“Yongsun unni’s dead,” Wheein scoffs because Byulyi still can’t say Yongsun’s name. “And _why_ is that?”

 

Wheein doesn’t have to say anything else. The answer to the rhetorical question echoes in Byulyi’s mind loud and clear. Unable to say anything else because it’ll hurt them both, Byulyi watches as Wheein leaves her behind to go through the gates of the Farplane, to go to Yongsun.

 

 

 

 

 

**3.**

 

When Byulyi is eighteen, Hyejin crawls into her bed and she has the audacity to wish that it were Wheein instead. The thought is another sin to add to the list, but instead of kicking Hyejin out, Byulyi accepts it as it is and pulls her blanket aside to invite Hyejin in.

 

“What is it?” Byulyi asks softly because Hyejin’s prone to nightmares. “Did you have another nightmare?”

 

Hyejin shakes her head and continues with words Byulyi wasn’t expecting at all, “Wheein dumt sa cra fyhdat du ku uh dra bemknesyka!”[1]

 

Byulyi blinks and when Hyejin’s words materialise with meaning she feels oddly awake. Byulyi hates using Al Bhed. She hasn’t used the language often since moving from Bikanel to Besaid Island but it’s not like she’s forgotten it. The gravity of Hyejin’s words seems heavier now in her mother tongue.

 

Byulyi stares blankly at Hyejin and then pinches herself because she could still very well be half asleep, “Fryd?”[2]

 

“Aynmean dutyo!”[3] Hyejin sounds frantic and Byulyi sighs as she rubs circles into the younger one’s back, to help calm her so that she can explain the situation. “E tuh’d ghuf fryd cra fyc drehgehk pid cra fyc cyoehk hud du damm oui…”[4]

 

It’s not even a second after the true meaning of Hyejin’s words register that Byulyi is bolting out of her bed. Byulyi grabs the nearest piece of clothing and drapes it on as an extra layer. Hyejin is immediately on her tail.

 

“Hyejin-ah,” Byulyi whispers softly, grateful that Hyejin had confided in her. “Dryhgc vun dammehk sa.”[5]

 

“Wheein ymfyoc mecdahc du oui,”[6] Hyejin reasons and Byulyi bites her tongue from saying _not anymore_ , because she doesn’t want to shatter Hyejin’s hopes. “Oiu’mm kad ran du cdyo fuh’d oui?”[7]

 

“E’mm dno.”[8]

 

Byulyi rushes across the village towards the Temple. It’s not a matter that can be left until morning. If Wheein has gone to see the Temple monks to make her final decision, then they can’t stop her. The moment that Byulyi pushes the Temple doors open, she knows it’s too late. Wheein is exiting the inner chamber with a wide smile on her face—success and pride written all over her features. Just by looking at her alone, Byulyi knows that Wheein has succeeded in obtaining her first Aeon.

 

“Jung Wheein!” Byulyi scolds, “What on Earth were you thinking?!”

 

Wheein ignores her complaint and immediately turns to Hyejin. It’s normal for Wheein to ignore any concern that she displays, but Byulyi still feels hurt all the same. No matter how many years go by, every time that Wheein looks at Byulyi, her eyes lose a little light and Byulyi is sure that Wheein is thinking about Yongsun.

 

“Hyejin,” Wheein whines, kicking her feet against carpet. “You promised me you’d keep it a secret!”

 

Hyejin rolls her eyes and doesn’t even wince because Wheein is her best friend. There’s no way Hyejin will allow Wheein go on a pilgrimage that will kill her.

 

“You don’t even have a Guardian!” Byulyi raises her voice, hurt and frustrated.

 

Wheein rolls her eyes, competiveness flaring, “If I find one then its fine isn’t it?”

 

“You won’t!” Hyejin bites back, childishly poking out her tongue. “I’ll make sure of it!”

 

True to Hyejin’s words, Wheein doesn’t find a willing Guardian on Besaid but that’s not the case when Wheein sets foot on Luca.

 

 

 

 

 

**4.**

 

Wheein’s cheer could fool the world but not those at home and certainly not Byulyi. The moment that they set foot into the inn at the Thunder Plains, Wheein is exceptionally pleasant to the people there. However, when they’re not looking Wheein turns around and steals a glance at the door. It’s a brief look but long enough for Byulyi to know that Wheein is holding lingering feelings for the Farplane.

 

“Rest up,” Byulyi instructs.

 

Wheein nods obediently and slithers away into her own room. It’s so strange of Wheein, Byulyi doesn’t even have to think twice about increasing security on her.

 

 

 

 

 

Hours later, Wheein sneaks back out. Byulyi catches her in the act because she’s still up, in the corner of the inn reading books that sit on the shelves. Wheein thinks she’s subtle but she’s really not. Quietly, Byulyi returns the book to its shelf and grabs the extra robe draped over her seat before following after Wheein. Byulyi cradles the robes to keep it from getting wet despite hating the way that the rain makes her clothes and hair stick to her skin and the way that the thunder continues to send shudders through her spine.

 

Byulyi is curious to know where Wheein intends to go without her but it is not surprising to find Wheein retracing her steps. Guadosalam is an attractive place because the Farplane is there, a place that allows pyerflies to gather and portray the image of lost loved ones. However, it’s not a place for the living.

 

“Jung Wheein!” Byulyi calls over the thunderstorm as she reaches out for Wheein’s hand.

 

Flinching at the sound of her name, Wheein picks up her pace, from walking to sprinting but Byulyi is already prepared for that. Byulyi catches Wheein by her wrist and spins her around, using a lot more force than she had intended. Remorse washes over her immediately. All Byulyi wants is for Wheein to be safe, not to stop Wheein because she knows that she can’t.

 

“Unni…”

 

With the storm is coming down, Byulyi can’t tell if it’s just rain or tears that runs down Wheein’s face. Afraid of the answer, Byulyi doesn’t ask, only holds onto Wheein’s wrist, albeit lightly because she has no intentions of confining Wheein against her will. Sighing gratefully because Wheein doesn’t look like she’ll pull up a fight, Byulyi shuffles a little closer and drapes the robes over Wheein’s shoulders and pulls the hood over her head.

 

“Don’t go outside wearing so little,” Byulyi chides.

 

To convey that she’s not angry, Byulyi gently pats the crown of Wheein’s head. Wheein looks up and Byulyi’s breathe catches in her throat. Wheein is stunning, even with droplets of rain clinging to her lashes, even when her lips tremble from the cold, even with cheeks stained red. They’re the colour of Byulyi’s guilt but red has never looked more beautiful—especially now that it’s on Wheein. Byulyi’s so mesmerised, she’s leaning forward into Wheein’s space before she knows it.

 

“We can’t do this,” Wheein reasons as she steps back, putting their distance back where it remains stagnant. “Yongsun unni is… and we’re… I can’t—”

 

“But I’m still here,” Byulyi blurts out as she presses her forehead to Wheein’s. Will Wheein ever see her? “Wheein-ah, I’m still here.”

 

“I know,” Wheein whispers back quietly despite the fact that the thunder is roaring. “I know that but Yongsun unni is… she’s all alone and…”

 

The feeling of defeat that floods Byulyi is nothing new.

 

“Okay,” Byulyi murmurs softly. “We’ll get you to her okay? But not in Guadosalam. You know that’s just an illusion.”

 

After a moment of silence, Wheein concedes and agrees to returns to Byulyi. Byulyi will take what she can get, even if it’s only temporary.

 

 

 

 

 

**5.**

 

Luca is bustling with people. Byulyi has never seen a place so busy but she doesn’t allow it to deter her from her original objective. Although she’s aware of her new surroundings, Byulyi makes sure to always keep Wheein within her line of sight. If the chance presents itself, Byulyi will take it to bring Wheein home.

 

“Stop following me,” Wheein pouts.

 

Byulyi looks to her right and pretends that here to see Spira and everything it has to offer. If Wheein is going to be unreasonable then Byulyi will do the same. Spira is a vast place and Byulyi can go where she likes.

 

“I’m not,” Byulyi shrugs.

 

Wheein stomps her feet but doesn’t go further to argue. She’s tired from the journey and there are more important things to do. Without stopping to rest, Wheein walks around Luca and actively looks for someone to be her Guardian. Many come up to Wheein, curious about the role and the duty but Byulyi drives them all away. Especially the men who come up and ask for Wheein’s hand in marriage because they want to follow Lady Yunalesca and Lord Zaon’s legacy. They’re all lucky Byulyi doesn’t end them first.

 

“Stop that!” Wheein complains, brows furrowed and lips curled in a pout. “You’re scaring off all of the potential Guardians!”

 

Byulyi clicks her tongue and turns away, “If they’re giving up so easily then they’re not the right fit.”

 

There’s no argument that Wheein can make. She needs a strong Guardian, one that will walk with her until Zanarkand. If they’ve already abandoned her now, there’s no way she could use them. Byulyi also knows that Wheein doesn’t need marriage to make a strong bond with the Final Aeon. Wheein should know too. Byulyi trusts Wheein’s judgment but she takes it upon herself to scrutinise everything around Wheein.

 

 

 

 

 

“Wheein, let’s go home,” Byulyi suggests, after half the day’s gone. “Hyejin’s waiting for you at home.”

 

Byulyi fights the urge use herself as a tool of persuasion. Hyejin is the one that matters. If there’s anything else that Byulyi can get out of this other than Wheein’s safety, it’s the fulfilment of her promise to Hyejin. Byulyi doesn’t dare wish for anything else.

 

“Yongsun unni is waiting too,” Wheein replies easily.

 

Byulyi flinches because it’s not the same. Yongsun is at a place of no return but Byulyi cannot bring herself to say anything because she doesn’t have the right to. Resigned, Byulyi heaves a sigh and ventures off alone, but not without keeping Wheein within view. She’d promised Hyejin after all. Despite all that Wheein was saying, for all that she had been distant, she comes chasing after Byulyi like the child that she once was.

 

“I’m sorry,” Wheein apologises, linking arms with her. “I know you were looking out for me, so don’t be mad okay?”

 

“Wheein-ah,” Byulyi sighs as she turns to face Wheein. “Let’s just go home, okay?”

 

Even though she displays genuine concern, Wheein doesn’t succumb to Byulyi’s request. Instead, Wheein keeps her eyes downcast as she cradles Byulyi’s hand in her own. Suddenly, Byulyi feels like she’s running a losing race.

 

“Unni,” Wheein whispers, all soft and gentle that it’s hard for Byulyi to deny her of anything. “Take me to the end.”

 

 

 

 

 

**+1.**

 

Byulyi wakes with a start and then freaks out when she finds the lining next to hers empty. Immediately getting up, Byulyi exits the lodging area and goes on a rush hunt for Wheein. Byulyi cruses because Wheein’s robes today are blue, just like Macalania Woods. Byulyi visits the lake first and when she finds it empty, ventures off into the woods.

 

When Byulyi spots Wheein deep in the wood, she sprints across the forest and throws herself at Wheein without regard for anything else. As soon as she’s got Wheein in her arms, Byulyi flinches because Wheein’s whole body is cold. Pulling away carefully so that Wheein doesn’t register the act as rejection, Byulyi studies Wheein carefully and finds that Wheein is soaked from head to toe. Muttering disapproval under her breathe, Byulyi pulls off her outer robe and drapes it over Wheein’s shoulders.

 

“What the hell are you doing,” Byulyi complains, taking Wheein’s strands of hair into her hands and wringing them dry, “You almost scared me to death.”

 

Suddenly, Wheein bursts out sobbing and Byulyi freezes, not knowing what to do. Wheein continues to cry as Byulyi stands there awkwardly, unable to say or do anything because she’s afraid of making everything worse.

 

“Uh, sorry,” Byulyi mumbles eventually. “I’m sorry okay? Don’t cry… I didn’t mean to yell…”

 

Even with her apologies, Wheein doesn’t stop sobbing. Biting on her lips, Byulyi tilts her head back and stares into the sky. Byulyi wishes that there’d be some rain or something—Wheein would probably appreciate it—but when she looks back down, this time ready to comfort Wheein, her eyes catch onto someone in the distance and her ears ring with the sound of laughter that shouldn’t exist.

 

“Is that…” _Yongsun?_

 

Wheein’s grip on Byulyi’s arm is almost lethal, “Yes.”

 

“I…” Byulyi just stares because no matter how many years have passed, those baby cheeks, glossy brown eyes and that bright laughter belongs to no other than Kim Yongsun. She looks content to be and there’s a young man next to her, grinning from ear to ear while looking at Yongsun like she’s the world. “What?”

 

Byulyi takes a step forward, a little bit lost and a little bit mesmerised.

 

“She wasn’t there,” Wheein whimpers, successfully stopping Byulyi in her tracks. Byulyi is as confused as can be, but she waits, hands resting on the small of Wheein’s back. “In the Farplane I mean. She wasn’t there when I went and I thought that she—”

 

Wheein’s voice cracks and tears well up in her eyes again. Wheein had been afraid that Yongsun had died an unclean death and consequently, refused to leave the realm of the living.

 

“Shh,” Byulyi whispers quietly, running her hand through Wheein’s hair because she understands. “It’s okay…”

 

But Byulyi can’t stop looking across the forest, at Yongsun and the man guiding her around. Byulyi wants to make her way over and ask all the questions that are piling up on her tongue but Wheein is here and Byulyi has no way of apologising to Yongsun for what she did and for what she failed to do.

 

“I spoke to her earlier,” Wheein confesses, “She doesn’t remember anything…”

 

As Wheein’s words sink, Byulyi feels a kind of relief that she hasn’t ever felt before. It feels like the weight on her chest, the one that’s always made it difficult to breathe is finally taken away from her. Byulyi’s feet almost lead her across the forest but Wheein grabs her by the arm and shakes her head. _Yongsun_ —if that is even Yongsun—looks happy to be where she is.

 

“That’s great,” Byulyi repeats, as if it’s all she knows. “That’s really great.”

 

However, Byulyi’s relief is short lived. Despite what Byulyi has believed since she was eight, Yongsun is alive and well but where does that leave them? Byulyi looks away from Yongsun and down at Wheein, heart constricting painfully because she wants to ask Wheein to go home with her but can’t bring herself to construct the words. However, for the first time in years, Wheein looks straight at Byulyi with clear eyes and smiles a smile as bright as the sun.

 

“Unni,” Wheein whispers softly as she takes Byulyi’s hand and rests her head against Byulyi’s shoulder, “Let’s go home.”

 

_Fin._

 

[1] Wheein told me she wanted to go on the pilgrimage!

[2] What?

[3] Earlier today!

[4] I don’t know what she was thinking but she was saying not to tell you…

[5] Thanks for telling me.

[6] Wheein always listens to you.

[7] You’ll get her to stay won’t you?

[8] I’ll try.


End file.
